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see us.” “Goodbye,” said Madeline, with a smile. “Goodbye,”
he answered; “shall you be at home tomorrow afternoon?” “Yes. I believe so.
Shall we not, Mamma?” “What, my dear? Yes,” nodded Mrs. Graham. “Do come, Mr.
Hastings. It’s a little dull for Madeline here.” And they parted, Guy lifting
his hat, & lingering a moment to watch them on their way. “A very nice
young fellow, eh?” said Mr. Graham, as Madeline slipped her hand through his
arm. “Excellent family. Excellent
family.” “And so polite,” cried Mrs. Graham. “I declare he talked
beautifully.” “I think he is very handsome,” said Madeline, softly. “And how clever he is, Papa.” “Clever, eh? Yes—yes; a rising young fellow. And very good family.” “But it’s a wonder to me he took any notice of you, Maddy,” observed Mrs.
Graham. “Those handsome young men in the best society don’t care for anything
under an Earl’s wife.” “But he is a gentleman, Mamma!” said Madeline with a
blush. The next afternoon, a servant was sent up to Mr. Graham’s apartments at
the Hotel Belvidere with a card; which a maid carried into an inner room, where
the following dialogue went on while the Hotel servant waited. “Mr. Hastings, Mamma—what
shall I do?” “See him, love. I am not suffering much.” “Oh, Mamma, I can’t
leave you alone!” “With Priggett, my dear? Of course. Perhaps he might know of a physician.” “Of course, Mamma! I will see him. Ask the man to shew Mr.
Hastings up.” And when Guy was ushered into the stiffly-furnished sitting room
a pale young lady with her crown of golden hair somewhat disturbed & her
white dress rumpled, came forward to meet him. “Oh, Mr. Hastings…” “Has
anything happened, Miss Graham?” The tears were hanging on Madeline’s lashes
& her quiet manner was changed for a trembling agitation. “Mamma has
sprained her ankle,” she said, “& Papa is away. He went to the
Lauterbrunnen this morning, & an hour ago Mamma slipped on the staircase—”
she ended rather abruptly by pressing her handkerchief to her eyes. “My dear Miss Graham, how unfortunate! Have you sent for a
physician? Can I do anything for you?” “Oh, thanks,” said Madeline, “we have
got the maid & I have bound her ankle up, but we didn’t know where to find a
physician.” “How lucky that I came!” Guy exclaimed. “I
believe there is no good native doctor, but Sir Ashley Patchem is at my Hotel
& I will go back at once.” “Oh, thank you, thank you!” Madeline could
scarcely control her tears, as she held her hand out. “May I come back &
see if I can help you in any other way?” Guy said, as he took it; & then he
was gone, at a quick pace. Half an hour later, the famous London physician was in Mrs. Graham’s room at the
Hotel Belvidere. “A very slight sprain, I assure you,” he said, as Madeline
followed him anxiously into the sitting-room. “Don’t disturb yourself. Only
have this sent for at once.” He put a prescription in her hand, & as he
left the room Guy came in again. “I am so much relieved,” said Madeline, “&
I don’t know how to thank you.” “What does Sir Ashley say?” “It is very slight,
not at all dangerous. I am so thankful! But this prescription… I suppose one of the servants…” “Let me take it,” said Guy. Then, glancing at
his watch; “Mr. Graham ought to be here shortly, but you will send for me in
case of need, Miss Graham? Are you sure that I can do nothing else?” “You have
done so much,” Madeline answered, with a smile. “No, I think everything is
arranged, & as you say Papa will be here soon.” “I will not delay the
prescription, then. Goodbye, Miss Graham!” “Goodbye.” She held out her hand
again, as to a friend, & again he took it & pressed it for an instant.
As he walked homeward in the soft Summer dusk, he had
the pleasant feeling of a man who knows that he has gained the admiration &
gratitude of a pretty,
he answered; “shall you be at home tomorrow afternoon?” “Yes. I believe so.
Shall we not, Mamma?” “What, my dear? Yes,” nodded Mrs. Graham. “Do come, Mr.
Hastings. It’s a little dull for Madeline here.” And they parted, Guy lifting
his hat, & lingering a moment to watch them on their way. “A very nice
young fellow, eh?” said Mr. Graham, as Madeline slipped her hand through his
arm. “Excellent family. Excellent
family.” “And so polite,” cried Mrs. Graham. “I declare he talked
beautifully.” “I think he is very handsome,” said Madeline, softly. “And how clever he is, Papa.” “Clever, eh? Yes—yes; a rising young fellow. And very good family.” “But it’s a wonder to me he took any notice of you, Maddy,” observed Mrs.
Graham. “Those handsome young men in the best society don’t care for anything
under an Earl’s wife.” “But he is a gentleman, Mamma!” said Madeline with a
blush. The next afternoon, a servant was sent up to Mr. Graham’s apartments at
the Hotel Belvidere with a card; which a maid carried into an inner room, where
the following dialogue went on while the Hotel servant waited. “Mr. Hastings, Mamma—what
shall I do?” “See him, love. I am not suffering much.” “Oh, Mamma, I can’t
leave you alone!” “With Priggett, my dear? Of course. Perhaps he might know of a physician.” “Of course, Mamma! I will see him. Ask the man to shew Mr.
Hastings up.” And when Guy was ushered into the stiffly-furnished sitting room
a pale young lady with her crown of golden hair somewhat disturbed & her
white dress rumpled, came forward to meet him. “Oh, Mr. Hastings…” “Has
anything happened, Miss Graham?” The tears were hanging on Madeline’s lashes
& her quiet manner was changed for a trembling agitation. “Mamma has
sprained her ankle,” she said, “& Papa is away. He went to the
Lauterbrunnen this morning, & an hour ago Mamma slipped on the staircase—”
she ended rather abruptly by pressing her handkerchief to her eyes. “My dear Miss Graham, how unfortunate! Have you sent for a
physician? Can I do anything for you?” “Oh, thanks,” said Madeline, “we have
got the maid & I have bound her ankle up, but we didn’t know where to find a
physician.” “How lucky that I came!” Guy exclaimed. “I
believe there is no good native doctor, but Sir Ashley Patchem is at my Hotel
& I will go back at once.” “Oh, thank you, thank you!” Madeline could
scarcely control her tears, as she held her hand out. “May I come back &
see if I can help you in any other way?” Guy said, as he took it; & then he
was gone, at a quick pace. Half an hour later, the famous London physician was in Mrs. Graham’s room at the
Hotel Belvidere. “A very slight sprain, I assure you,” he said, as Madeline
followed him anxiously into the sitting-room. “Don’t disturb yourself. Only
have this sent for at once.” He put a prescription in her hand, & as he
left the room Guy came in again. “I am so much relieved,” said Madeline, “&
I don’t know how to thank you.” “What does Sir Ashley say?” “It is very slight,
not at all dangerous. I am so thankful! But this prescription… I suppose one of the servants…” “Let me take it,” said Guy. Then, glancing at
his watch; “Mr. Graham ought to be here shortly, but you will send for me in
case of need, Miss Graham? Are you sure that I can do nothing else?” “You have
done so much,” Madeline answered, with a smile. “No, I think everything is
arranged, & as you say Papa will be here soon.” “I will not delay the
prescription, then. Goodbye, Miss Graham!” “Goodbye.” She held out her hand
again, as to a friend, & again he took it & pressed it for an instant.
As he walked homeward in the soft Summer dusk, he had
the pleasant feeling of a man who knows that he has gained the admiration &
gratitude of a pretty,
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